ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR - Morals or Ethics in the Workplace

Morals or Ethics in the Workplace

by Kate McFarlin, Demand Media

Morals and ethics go hand-in-hand in the workplace and should be of concern to small business owners. Operating an ethical and moral business depends not only on how the owners and managers of a company behave, but also its employees and how they interact with each other and with customers.

Moral Decision-Making

As the owner of a small business, you will typically be in charge of making numerous decisions that affect both your company and the people who work for you. Striving to maintain ethical and moral decision-making skills is vital for a business owner. All decisions need to be weighed, particularly when it comes to promotions and instructions for employees. All decisions must be fair and personal preference should never enter into the decision-making process.

Goals and Policies

Your business should have a clear set of organizational goals and policies, particularly when it comes to morals and ethics. Your employees need to know that your business holds itself -- and them -- to a higher standard. By being clear about what is and is not acceptable in the workplace, you remove any gray ethical or moral areas. Your business should always operate in an ethical manner, even if this means taking a loss or falling behind competitors who are not ethical.

Employee and Company Integrity

Integrity is a very important part of morals and ethics. Everyone in your organization should hold himself to a high personal standard of integrity. This plays into setting the policies that will govern how your company is run. Develop standards of integrity for your employees and yourself and insist that they be followed. Some employees may need to have what you expect of them spelled out so that they can follow your company guidelines.

Ethics and Morals in Competition

In terms of competition, whether it is with another company, or between employees, ethics and morals should always be stressed. For example, if two employees are pitted against one another in competition for a raise or a promotion, the potential for immoral or unethical behavior is there. The same is true when dealing with a competitor. The temptation to get ahead in any way possible can be strong. It is necessary for small business owners to stress that integrity cannot be compromised in any way, shape or form.